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It has not been a very merry holiday for 865 Colorado drivers who failed to heed the advice to plan ahead before holiday parties and were arrested for DUI. The arrests were made by the Colorado State Patrol and 59 law enforcement agencies during increased DUI patrols that have been underway since the beginning of December.

Also since Dec. 1, 24 people have died in traffic crashes in Colorado and at least seven of those deaths occurred in alcohol-related crashes, according to preliminary data. Statewide law enforcement agencies will conduct a New Year’s DUI enforcement period, beginning at 6 p.m. Dec. 30 and continuing through 3 a.m. Jan. 3rd.

The Plan Ahead campaign has been successful in encouraging almost 400 Coloradans to take the Plan Ahead Pledge, committing to designate a sober driver this holiday season. In addition to saving lives, money and embarrassment, anyone who takes the Plan Ahead Pledge at www.PlanAheadColorado.com is entered to win a free night on the town in Denver including a night and breakfast at the Hyatt Regency Denver, dinner for two and a town car from Yellow Cab for safe and sober transportation.

Pledgers have been asked what plans they will make to stay safe this holiday season with 74 percent saying they will designate a sober driver at least once, and 63 percent will stay the night at a hotel or a friend’s house and 49 percent will call a cab at least once during the holidays.

“It’s encouraging to see so many people take the time to pledge to have a sober driver. Those people are not only making a safe choice for themselves, but for everyone on our roadways,” said Pamela Hutton, governor’s representative for highway safety at the Colorado Department of Transportation. “And we hope those 400 people are telling their friends. That’s how we change the culture to make drinking and driving unacceptable.”

With DUI enforcement stepped up during New Year’s weekend, Coloradans can still find tips and tools to avoid drinking and driving at www.PlanAheadColorado.com, including hotels offering special “Plan Ahead” rates, places to get free cab vouchers from MillerCoors, locations to get a free ride from Designated Driver of Colorado Springs, cab information, places to park the car overnight and a link to download the R-U-Buzzed? BAC Calculator iPhone application.

Some Coloradans have already benefitted from making the safe choice to designate a sober driver. The safety office at Peterson Air Force Base was the winner of the Plan Ahead Business Challenge. They will be rewarded for committing to spread the word to their employees with a free lunch from Chipotle Mexican Grill.